LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — It’s almost basketball time in the Bluegrass!
It’s been an offseason of change for Kentucky basketball, with the departures of Kyra Elzy and John Calipari. However, Big Blue Nation has welcomed Kenny Brooks and Mark Pope as the new faces of the women’s and men’s basketball teams, respectively.
As the halfway point of the football season approaches, Wildcat fans are ready to welcome basketball action into their weekly lives.
Big Blue Madness, presented by Ronald McDonald House Charities, will be returning for its 19th season, and tickets will be going on sale on Ticketmaster starting at 5 p.m. ET on Friday.
Big Blue Madness marks the frantic, annual tipoff to Kentucky men’s and women’s basketball seasons. This year, the madness starts at 7 p.m. on Oct. 11 at Rupp Arena. Tickets will, again, be free this year, but due to the ongoing renovation of the historic Memorial Coliseum, there will be no in-person ticket distribution.
Pope and his staff have blended a dynamic 2024-2025 roster that features a healthy mix of six super seniors, one senior, one junior, and three freshmen.
UK’s seasoned incoming veterans, Ansley Almonor, Lamont Butler, Andrew Carr, and Amari Williams, have combined to play in 845 collegiate games and have scored almost 8,000 career points, according to the university.
Last season, Butler and Williams were named their conference’s defensive players of the year. Meanwhile, newcomers Koby Brea and Jaxson Robinson were named their conference’s sixth men of the year. Other notable additions include Brandon Garrison, Kerr Kriisa, and Otega Oweh, providing the Wildcats with a lot of valuable experience and depth.
Travis Perry and Trent Noah, both sons of the Bluegrass, and Collin Chandler, a former top-35 signee from the class of 2022, round out the freshmen joining Kentucky’s roster under Pope.
Brooks’ Lady Wildcats find themselves in ranked 25th in ESPNs Way-Too-Early Top 25. Featuring returners Cassidy Rowe and Saniah Tyler, fifth-year point guard Georgia Amoore, and 11 newcomers, Brooks’ Cats “boast a balanced and experienced roster,” according to UK.
The 2024 Lady Wildcats will feature three 1,000-point scorers:
Amoore – 1,853 points
Dazia Lawrence – 1,170 points
Jordan Obi – 1,142 points
Brooks also welcomed in a 6-foot, 7-inch center from Portugal, Clara Silva, who, according to UK Athletics, ESPN had this to say about.
This year’s extravaganza will feature both new teams participating in various contests, practice drills, videos, and more.
Due to high demand, UK Athletics said they cannot guarantee all fans will receive tickets and there will be a limit of four tickets per household.
